Switzerland

Decline in global air traffic continues, cargo hit hardest

International Air Transport Association (IATA) LogoGeneva - While airlines have dropped capacity to cope with the expected global economic downturn, the drop in air travel was steeper than the companies could keep up with, statistic released Tuesday showed.

November saw a 4.6 per cent drop in international passenger traffic, the third consecutive month of decline, and cargo fell by 13.5 per cent, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Women's super-g called off

St Moritz, Switzerland  - The women's alpine ski super-G World Cup race in St Moritz was called off Sunday because of stormy weather.

A new date for the race has not yet been set.

Swiss glaciers melting away at an accelerating rate

Swiss glaciers melting away at an accelerating rateLondon, Dec 20: Two new studies have suggested that the Swiss glaciers are melting away at an accelerating rate and many will vanish this century if climate projections are correct.

According to a report by BBC News, both studies have been done by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

One assessment found that some 10 cubic km of ice have been lost from 1,500 glaciers over the past nine years.

The other study, based on a sample of 30 representative glaciers, indicates the group''s members are now losing a meter of thickness every year.

Paerson gets lucky again in St Moritz

Anja PaersonSt Moritz, Switzerland - World champion Anja Paerson of Sweden got celebrated once again in St Moritz as she claimed a big super combined ski race win on Friday.

The World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn of the US, by contrast, crashed out.

Paerson, 27, led the way after the downhill portion and also mastered the slalom run well for a combined total of 1 minute 41.87 seconds.

It was the first win of the season and the 39th overall for the three-time world champion from 2007, who 12 months ago won the super-combined and downhill World Cup races in St Moritz.

German clubs given tough challenges in UEFA Cup

AC Milan LogoNyon, Switzerland - Werder Bremen will face seven-time European champions AC Milan in the UEFA Cup's round of 32 following the draw made in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday.

Holders Zenit St Petersburg also face German opposition in the form of VfB Stuttgart while SV Hamburg have been pitted against Dutch side NEC Nijmegen and VfL Wolfsburg take on Paris St Germain.

Big-spending Manchester City will expect to progress at the expense of FC Copenhagen but Aston Villa face a challenging task against CSKA Moscow. Tottenham Hotspur will also need to be at their best if they want to overcome Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.

United up against Inter, Real Madrid face Liverpool

Inter Milan LogoNyon, Switzerland - Defending champions Manchester United will face Inter Milan in one of three English-Italian duels in the European Champions League round of
16 drawn Friday by the ruling body UEFA.

Last year's beaten finalists Chelsea take Juventus, now managed by former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri, and Arsenal play Roma in the other duel between the Serie A and Premier League in the first knockout stage.

The fourth English club, Liverpool, were also given a difficult opponent in record winners Real Madrid at the draw made at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

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